Tiramisu (Todd Smith)
This authentic Tiramisu is the ultimate comfort dessert, featuring layers of delicate Savoiardi biscuits soaked in strong cold coffee and a luxuriously rich mascarpone cream. The flavor profile is a perfect balance of bitter espresso, sweet sugar, and creamy cheese, finished with a dusting of cocoa powder. It’s an elegant yet approachable dish that tastes sophisticated but comes together with simple home-cooking techniques. Perfect for romantic dinners, holiday gatherings, or when you need a "pick-me-up" treat. The texture is airy and light despite the richness, thanks to the folded-in egg whites. Serve chilled to allow the flavors to meld and the structure to set properly.
Description
This authentic Tiramisu is the ultimate comfort dessert, featuring layers of delicate Savoiardi biscuits soaked in strong cold coffee and a luxuriously rich mascarpone cream. The flavor profile is a perfect balance of bitter espresso, sweet sugar, and creamy cheese, finished with a dusting of cocoa powder. It’s an elegant yet approachable dish that tastes sophisticated but comes together with simple home-cooking techniques. Perfect for romantic dinners, holiday gatherings, or when you need a "pick-me-up" treat. The texture is airy and light despite the richness, thanks to the folded-in egg whites. Serve chilled to allow the flavors to meld and the structure to set properly.
Ingredients
- 300 g Savoiardi biscuits (or lady fingers)
- 450 g Mascarpone cheese
- 3 egg whites
- 5 egg yolks
- 150 g sugar
- a cup (or two) of cold coffee
- 1/2 an espresso cup of brandy
- bitter cocoa
Directions
- 1 In a large bowl, mash the egg yolks and sugar together until the mixture becomes pale and creamy.
- 2
Add the mascarpone cheese to the yolk mixture and mix well until you have a smooth, homogeneous cream.- 3
Stir in the brandy and mix thoroughly to combine.- 4
In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.- 5
Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the mascarpone mixture in two or three additions, being careful not to deflate the mixture.- 6
Dip the ladyfingers quickly into the cold coffee. Do not soak them too long, or they will become mushy.- 7
Spread half of the mascarpone cream over the ladyfingers.- 8
Add another layer of dipped ladyfingers, followed by the remaining mascarpone cream.- 9
Sprinkle a generous layer of bitter cocoa powder over the top.- 10
Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours to allow the flavors to meld and the dessert to set.NoteThe mixing can be done with a fork, though an electric mixer may be faster for whipping the egg whites.
Tiramisu tends to expand to fill the container, so use a dish that fits the portion size well.
For the sugar measurement, if you lack a scale, an empty 150g Mascarpone container can be used as a rough guide for volume, as the densities are similar.
American cooks may need to ensure they are using room temperature eggs for better whipping results.
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